By R-CALF USA Marketing Director Jaiden Moreland
As we flip the calendar into 2025, itโs hard to believe how quickly the year has passed. For R-CALF USA, it was another year of relentless advocacy, tough battles, and critical victories for independent American ranching families. Our missionโto protect the future of independent cattle and sheep producers across the countryโremains as critical as ever. Despite some setbacks, key actions and victories of 2024 will carry us into 2025 with continued energy and resolve.
A new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) census revealed ongoing, significant declines in both the cattle and sheep industries, including an 18% decrease in the number of cattle operations and a shrinking overall herd size to the smallest level in over 70 years. R-CALF USA continues to stress the harmful impact of market consolidation and unbalanced trade policies on independent producers.
Victory was achieved early in the year when the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) abruptly withdrew the proposed rule change to allow the NYSEโs listing of natural asset companies (NACs). Another victory occurred when USDA issued its final rule stating that only meat from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the U.S. is eligible for the voluntary “Made in USAโ and โProduct of USAโ labels. The rule goes into effect on January 1, 2026.
USDA finalized a highly controversial rule allowing the importation of beef from Paraguay, which sparked widespread industry pushback. R-CALF USA worked with legislators to get resolutions of disapproval introduced to reverse the rule. The Senate resolution passed by an overwhelming majority vote of 70-25, and it must now pass in the House.
After working closely with USDA, the agency issued its second Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act final rule, โInclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act,โ providing clarification as to what constitutes retaliatory, deceptive, and unjust discrimination violations under the P&S Act. This rule followed our successful effort to urge Congress to reject a policy rider from being included in the 2024 appropriations bill that would have thrown out the existing rules, prevented future rulemakings, and blocked USDA from making progress on the P&S Act.
An additional rule supported by R-CALF USA, โFair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets,โ was proposed but then withdrawn in the final hours of the Biden administration. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had submitted strong comments supporting the proposed rule after a 5-0 vote.
Lawsuits
R-CALF USA led the nation by filing a historic, class action antitrust lawsuit against the โBig 4โ beef packers in April 2019. In 2024, R-CALF USAโs legal team was deeply involved in the discovery phase of our lawsuit, including multiple rounds of depositions. Upon completion of discovery, we will proceed with a motion for class certification to represent the nationโs fed cattle producers as the case moves forward. An official investigation into our cattle markets by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), numerous state attorneys general, and the USDA is ongoing.
In R-CALF USAโs ongoing beef checkoff case alleging that USDA and state beef councils have unlawfully entered agreements, a hearing was held in September challenging R-CALF USAโs right to bring this issue before the court. We are currently awaiting the courtโs decision regarding a partial summary judgment motion on standing.
On October 30, in the U.S. District Court in South Dakota, on behalf of R-CALF USA and others, the New Civil Liberties Alliance filed a complaint against USDA’s unlawful new rule mandating electronic identification (EID) eartags for certain cattle and bison transported across state lines. As the suit progresses, the merits of our case will be briefed in greater detail.
In August, R-CALF USA joined as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Treasury and others, challenging the constitutionality of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). Following a nationwide preliminary injunction order in Texas against enforcement of the CTA, a district court in Utah issued a 90-day stay in our case because of the preliminary injunction and pending the new administration. Enforcement of CTA reporting requirements is paused pending further court action.
Meetings with Policy Makers
R-CALF USA participated in dozens of meetings with policymakers, including White House officials, U.S. Senators and Representatives and their staffers, and officials at the USDA, DOJ, OMB, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The meetings discussed the farm bill, mandatory country of origin labeling (MCOOL) for beef, the new P&S Act rules, antitrust and other competition issues, trade reform for both cattle and sheep, beef checkoff reform, foreign animal diseases, and the need to stop mandatory electronic animal identification.
Congressional Legislation
R-CALF USA worked with many members of Congress and their staffers to advocate, help draft, and endorse several pieces of legislation in accordance with our member-voted policy. These bills included:
- Protect Americaโs Lands Act (S.3840, H.R.7494)
- The School Lunch Integrity Act (S.3674)
- Ranching Without Red Tape Act (S.3322, H.R.6441)
- Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act (S.4297 and H.R.8147)
- PASTURES Act (H.R.10042)
- Fenceline Fairness Act (S.5496)
- Resolutions of disapproval to prohibit beef imports from Paraguay (S.J.Res.62, H.J.Res.115)
- ย A bill to prohibit mandatory EID eartags in cattle and bison (S.4282)
- Resolutions of disapproval to prohibit mandatory EID eartags in cattle and bison (S.J.Res.98, H.J.Res.167)
- NO SHT Act (S.4562)
- FTC Whistleblower Act (H.R. 10118)
Public Comments, Letters, and Statements
On behalf of its members, R-CALF USA submitted formal comments in several federal agency rulemakings, including in opposition to NACs; in regard to an Environmental Protection Agency notice to require farms to report greenhouse gas emissions; to the U.S. Department of Energyโs National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) to devise alternatives to its plan to locate transmission lines in regions vital to livestock production; in strong opposition to the โSponsoring USDA Sustainability Targets in Agriculture to Incentivize Natural Solutions (SUSTAINS) Actโ; and in strong support of the USDAโs โFair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Marketsโ proposed rule.
Over the year, R-CALF USA wrote and joined several letters to Congress and other government agencies, including 31 cattle, farm, rural, manufacturing, and consumer groups requesting the U.S. Trade Ambassadorโs help to restore MCOOL; 45 farm, ranch, and food groups urging immediate action to block the EID eartag mandate; and 470 United States veterans and the Farmer Veteran Coalition urging Congress to pass MCOOL for beef; and a letter urging the USDA, U.S. Forest Service, and DOJ to immediately drop all charges against a South Dakota ranching family regarding a property line dispute. R-CALF USA signed other joint letters including to oppose the โbadโ P&S Act rider in the 2024 appropriations bill, to stop the World Health Organization from using climate change to declare an emergency and lock down communities, to support a proposal to ban price gouging on food, and another to call for an antitrust investigation into the acquisition of OCI Globalโs Iowa Fertilizer Company.
In 2023, R-CALF USA filed a petition for relief from excessive imports with the USTR on behalf of the American sheep industry. After receiving no word regarding our request made over a year ago, we sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Ambassador asking for a determination regarding whether her office will request a Global Safeguard Investigation for the U.S. sheep industry. The letter included eight county resolutions from five states along with letters of support from woolgrowers associations of Idaho and Utah, which were sent in addition to the original letterโs 16 official resolutions, proclamations, and letters from county governments in seven states. We will be pursuing additional action with the new Congress and Administration in 2025.
R-CALF USA issued statements in support of the advanced notice of proposed rulemaking titled โPrice Discovery and Competition in Markets for Fed Cattleโ and against the USDA final rule mandating EID eartags for adult cattle and bison crossing state lines.
Coalition and Local Involvement
In joint efforts to achieve meaningful reforms in the American cattle and sheep industries, R-CALF USA partners with over 20 state and local affiliated organizations and led and worked with numerous national coalitions. These groups from across America represent farm, ranch, consumer, manufacturing and trade interests including Protect American Lamb; the Coalition for a Prosperous America; the National MCOOL Coalition; the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act Coalition; the Livestock Competition Coalition; and the Main Street Coalition (to address antitrust concerns in the grocery industry).
Local resolutions against the EID mandate were successfully passed in Perkins, Haakon, Jackson, and Harding Counties in South Dakota with the help of R-CALF USA members. In November, the Wyoming Livestock Board approved resolutions that both oppose mandatory EID eartags and support entering into agreements with other states to maintain current traceability practices. R-CALF USA members are working to pass similar resolutions opposing the EID eartag mandate in their county and state governments.
Events and Meetings
R-CALF USA made stops in South Dakota, Wyoming, Iowa, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Missouri, Minnesota, Arkansas, and Washington, D.C. Events included fundraisers, area meetings, social and trade shows, Facebook lives, college lectures, national conferences, and a rally.
June featured R-CALF USAโs record-breaking 25th Anniversary National Convention and Trade Show which focused on curbing the globalized effort to control the food supply and the independent farmers and ranchers who produce it, defending against ongoing consolidation, protecting private property rights, reinvigorating trade policy, and resolving price-depressing imports and soaring input costs.
No Rancher Left Behind
As part of an ongoing campaign for rural mental health, R-CALF USA member Coy Young continued promoting โNo Rancher Left Behind.โ The campaign features Wednesday evening virtual support group meetings every week at 7 p.m. Mountain time. In January 2024, Fox Newsโ Tomi Lahren featured Young on her show on โOutKick.โ Young is anticipated to appear in a four-part documentary about how farmers produce food but canโt put it on the table. The documentary is coming in 2025.
Looking Ahead: A New Year and A New Administration
As we enter 2025, we know that the fight isnโt over. The stakes are high, and the challenges will only continue to grow. However, we remain steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that the voices of independent ranchers are heard in Washington D.C.
Congress has until Sept. 30, 2025, to pass a new farm bill and our four asks remain the same, to include the Country of Origin Labeling Enforcement Act (H.R. 5081) or the American Beef Labeling Act (S. 52) that will restore MCOOL for beef, include the OFF Act (H.R. 1249 or S. 557) to reform the beef checkoff program and forbid it from contracting with lobby groups, include Senate Bill 4282 to prohibit the USDA from implementing mandatory EID eartags on cattle, and include a prohibition on unpriced formula contracts and a requirement that packers purchase half of their cattle from the cash market.
R-CALF USA is making policy recommendations to the new Trump administration. Our recommended priorities include: enact MCOOL for beef; restore a competitive market; support and finalize P&S Act rulemakings; enforce antitrust laws; eliminate Mandatory Price Reporting Act confidentiality guidelines; establish tariffs and tariff rate quota systems for cattle, beef, sheep, and lamb; require all imported cattle, beef, sheep, and lamb to meet identical production and food safety standards as are required of U.S. livestock and meat producers; prohibit the importation of livestock and meat from any country not free of foot-and-mouth disease, new world screwworm, or any other pernicious disease or pest not indigenous to the United States; reform the beef checkoff program; reverse the EID eartag mandate and permanently prohibit the USDA from imposing a mandatory EID system on the U.S. cattle industry; reverse efforts to restrict and reduce grazing and water rights on federally managed lands; and restore the USDAโs mission to that of strengthening the United Statesโ family farm and ranch system of cattle and sheep production.
๏ปฟBig wins take time, and with your support, we will continue pushing forward. The alternative is unacceptable. We will continue to fight for you, your family, and your legacy. Thank you for standing with us, we are proud to fight alongside you. Together, we will ensure that the future of American ranching remains strong, independent, and resilient. On behalf of the R-CALF USA Board of Directors and staff, we wish you a Happy New Year and look forward to the year ahead!